The Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) is a long-standing scientific meeting that engages junior and established investigators studying microbial pathogenesis in the Midwest Region of the United States. Since the first MMPC convened in 1994 at the University of Iowa, the meeting has been held annually at alternating academic institutions in the Midwest. Between 250-350 undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty participate in this meeting annually. The 25th Annual MMPC is being held at the University of Iowa from September 28-30, 2018. This is the third time the MMPC (1st, 10th, and 25th) has been hosted at the University of Iowa and the institution is excited to be hosting and celebrating 25 years of excellent science from the Midwest. The MMPC constitutes a major scientific venue that supports the development of the next generation of research scientists with special emphasis upon inclusion of women and researchers from underrepresented minority (URM) populations. In addition to providing an interactive and engaging scientific forum for investigators to present their work and establish collaborations, the MMPC fosters networking between investigators and institutions in the Midwest. Regional accessibility, low cost, and travel/registration support provided for select attendees allows this meeting to attract a diverse group of participants. In keeping with long tradition, approximately 65% of speakers invited to give oral presentations at the 2018 meeting will be graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, or Assistant Professors who are often presenting their first formal seminar immediately prior to or upon establishing their own laboratories. Talks from a smaller number of more established investigators are also planned to encourage networking. Six graduate student or postdoctoral fellows chosen based upon the merit of their submitted abstracts will also be invited to present their research orally, providing an invaluable opportunity to showcase their research in a collegial and interactive environment. We propose to select 10 additional trainees from abstract submissions for registration waivers, focusing again on merit and URM status. We also plan to provide registration fee waivers to at least 22 URM/female scholars to promote diversity and provide opportunities for exploration of the field of Microbial Pathogenesis. This year's MMPC will also include an interactive forum focused on career development, led by a panel of scientists/educators from small liberal arts colleges, industry, and clinical microbiology labs. Through these combined activities, the MMPC will be supporting a variety of activities that are directly relevant to the missions of the National Institutes of Health. !